Episode 2546: The Fracture of Traditional Gender Roles - with Sharon

Walt:
Welcome back to the podcast, everyone. Today, we’re tackling a topic that might stir some controversy but is essential to address and it’s the 800lb Gorilla in the room that nobody wants to talk about let alone say the quiet part aloud out of fear of reprisals, attacks or cancellation. You know me, I don’t care about any of that. I want to talk about how the roles of men and women, as ordained by God from the beginning of creation, have been fractured in our modern society. It only makes good sense to bring in a woman my age to discuss this topic because she will attest to what happen in society from our parents’ generation and ours. Where once being the head of the family was the norm for most men to the total reversal we see today. We’ll explore how the entry of women into the workforce reshaped the family, challenged the roles that God ordained, and led to a weakening of male authority, both at home and in the workplace. Sharon, where do you think the fracture began?
Sharon:
That’s a very easy answer that becomes very complicated through the lens of our modern society or modern sensibilities. The fracture began when society shifted away from the Biblical and traditional Catholic understanding of gender roles. For centuries, men and women had distinct, God-given roles. As we read in Genesis, God created man and established him as the head of the family, with woman made as his helper, not inferior, but different and complementary. St. John Chrysostom once remarked, "The woman taught once and ruined all. On this account... God appointed that women should be under obedience" (Homily on First Timothy). When women began entering the workforce in large numbers, especially during the 1970’s, these roles became blurred, leading to confusion about authority and leadership both in the family and society. Think about it on this level. When women started earning an income, they no longer had to go to their husbands for those things they wanted, those extra things that they had to have. I would add that this added to materialism. The once one car family expanded to two cars with the second income. The starter home was no longer large enough for the 2.5 children. With increased debt, the second income became necessary I’d say by the 80’s but certainly the 90’s. Additionally, I would argue our education system indoctrinates them. Especially at the university level. Not mention that more females are entering universities than men. Female high school graduates are compelled to enter colleges with the expectation that they will have a good career in the future to support themselves.
The Church has always taught that men and women are equal in dignity but distinct in roles, as seen in the writings of saints and theologians like St. Thomas Aquinas. He explains that "the man is more rightly the head of the household than the woman, because he is the principal agent in generating the children and providing for them; the woman is, as it were, the helper in the house" (Summa Theologica). Yet, with women taking on roles outside the home, which I would say empowered them to be more aggressive in the marriage because they felt they had a stronger leg to stand on financially, it wasn’t just a reshuffling of responsibilities. It was a redefinition of authority, a displacement of the male headship that led to further chaos in the family and the workplace.
Walt:
The entry of women into the workforce didn’t just challenge men’s roles; it brought emotionalism into areas traditionally led by men with rational, principle-based leadership. Pope Pius XI, in his encyclical Casti Connubii (On Christian Marriage), emphasized that "the husband is the chief of the family and the head of the wife." When women assumed leadership roles in the workforce, they often had to juggle their natural responsibilities as mothers and wives, bringing a different dynamic that disrupted the natural order established by God. Men, in turn, became passive, or worse, effeminate, fearing accusations of male chauvinism.
Sharon:
It’s so true. The societal pressure on men to avoid being labeled as oppressive has led them to abandon their God-given role as leaders. This is when the EOE was instituted to encourage companies to hire women. So, the corporation adopted these policies and put token women in to fulfill these numbers. The Apostle Paul teaches in Ephesians 5:23, "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church." However, modern culture has done everything it can to deny this structure. And after decades of feminist indoctrination, many men don’t know how to lead or even feel that they should. In the vacuum left by this uncertainty, women have taken up leadership roles, but often at great personal cost and without the natural order. I mean, just look at our government. Where are the men? Look at media, Where are the men? Look at the Novus Ordo parishes, where are the men other than the Priest and even then the woman are dictating to them. You have an experience with that don’t you Walt? With so many women in powerful roles, no wonder we live in an emotional society. Everyone always wants to know how you “feel” about something, not what is true.
Everything becomes possible in their emotional approach, but we know that is not possible. Everything is only possible when it is centered on Christ teachings and the teachings of his Church. God created women with more emotion because they raise children. Men were meant to provide for the weaker women and children. Men are genetically physically stronger than women. They also need to be genetically less emotional in their thinking. They are left brained; women are both sided for that very reason. The way I understand this is that a few days after birth, neurons connect to the right side of the brain in women and do not or to a lesser degree than males to give them that different thinking working brain. One is not better than the other, God designed them to balance the race.
Walt:
Let’s not forget the generational impact. When we look at the Greatest Generation men who endured the Great Depression and World War II there was a clear sense of duty, strength, and male authority. Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Arcanum Divinae, emphasized that "the husband is the chief of the family, and the head of the wife," calling for a unity of leadership in the home that mirrors the relationship between Christ and the Church. These men were protectors and providers, living out their role as heads of their families in a sacrificial way. However, the Baby Boomer generation threw off these traditions in the name of modernity and individualism, leading to radical feminism, and the erasure of male leadership altogether.
Sharon:
It’s as if society actively rejected the virtues of previous generations. Baby Boomers, driven by the sexual revolution and a desire to break free from what they saw as outdated norms, dismantled these roles. And now, after six decades of this indoctrination, we see the consequences. Men have become effeminate, lacking the fortitude to lead, and women have become dominant, taking on burdens that were never intended for them. Unfortunately, these younger generation know little to nothing as to how we got here. Today’s women expect to be equal in the workforce and home in things of such as authority. And, how many powerful women are in a house husband marriage. He stays homes to take care of the kids and house, and she has the power and authority that he relinquished. But, they were raising in this environment. All the tv shows portray this where as in our day, Walt, we had a traditional family role in Leave it to Beaver.
Walt:
Yes, and the results are clear. Families are suffering, children are growing up without clear guidance, and the workplace itself has been destabilized. Feminism told women they had to compete with men in every area, but it also told men to step aside. What we’re seeing now is a lack of strong male leadership, which the Church has always upheld as essential for the stability of both the family and society. St. Paul and the teachings of the Church consistently warn us about the dangers of abandoning these roles.
Sharon:
We must return to our roots. The Catholic Church offers us a path forward. Men must reclaim their authority, not as tyrants, but in the sacrificial model of Christ. Women, too, must embrace their God-given vocation as wives and mothers, recognizing that their dignity doesn’t come from competing with men but from nurturing life and caring for the home. Pope Pius XI reminds us in Casti Connubii that “this subjection does not deny or take away the liberty which fully belongs to the woman,” but instead elevates her to her proper role. By adhering to these roles, we can restore the order that God intended.
Walt:
It won’t be easy, but it’s necessary. We must reject the lies of modern culture and return to what the Church has always taught that men and women, though different, are equal in dignity and complementary in their roles. Only then can we heal the family, the workplace, and society as a whole.
Sharon:
The impact of this fracture in traditional gender roles has been devastating, not just in the workplace, but also in the home and society at large. As men and women abandoned their God-given roles, we saw a rise in broken families, skyrocketing divorce rates, and the normalization of abortion. When men no longer assumed their role as protectors and heads of the family, women were left to fend for themselves, often leading to an unstable environment for raising children. Divorce rates surged, as couples struggled without a clear understanding of their distinct but complementary roles. Abortion became a tragic solution to the breakdown of family structures, as women, pushed to pursue careers, were left to make choices that denied the dignity of life. And, as both parents became absent or distracted by external responsibilities, child delinquency soared. Without strong male leadership and the nurturing presence of the mother at home, children grew up without the moral and spiritual guidance necessary to form their conscience. And, let’s not forget the impact of day care and nannies who are raising their children in their places forming their morals and values in their stead. The damage is clear: fractured homes lead to fractured souls. As the Church has always taught, stability in the family is the cornerstone of a healthy society.
Walt: For those listening, we encourage you to reflect on these truths. Let us all pray for the strength to reclaim the divine order of men’s and women’s roles, not in conflict but in harmony. Thanks for joining us today, and may God guide us back to His design.
Sharon: Closing Prayer:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Lord God,
As we conclude this episode, we thank You for the wisdom You have given us through Your Holy Church. We ask for the grace to live according to Your divine plan for men and women, upholding the roles You have designed in humility, respect, and love. Grant men the strength to lead and protect their families, as St. Joseph did, and give women the grace to nurture and guide their homes in the model of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Through the intercession of the saints and the teachings of the Church, may we return to the truth that You have established, rejecting the errors of modern culture that have torn down the walls of tradition. Help us rebuild the family and society in Your image.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.